Deputy hit in safety glasses by "suspected birdshot" during Stearns County standoff, sheriff says
A central Minnesota deputy was unhurt when a man fired a shotgun at him during a standoff on Saturday, authorities said.
The standoff began when the Stearns County Sheriff's Office responded to a domestic call around 9:30 a.m. on the 25000 block of County Road 34 in Paynesville Township, the agency said. Deputies contacted the suspect, a 58-year-old man, by phone. The sheriff's office said he threatened the deputies, saying he had several guns and would use them if they entered his home.
Around 1:50 p.m., a SWAT team arrived and began negotiating with the suspect. Just after 7:30 p.m., SWAT members entered the window of the suspect's bedroom, at which point the suspect fired a shotgun multiple times, the sheriff's office said.
"One deputy was struck in his safety glasses by suspected birdshot from the shotgun," the sheriff's office said.
The suspect was arrested, and neither he nor any officers were injured, according to the sheriff's office. He is being held at the Stearns County Jail awaiting charges.
Authorities found multiple guns and spent shell casings inside the home.
Domestic Violence Resources: For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
